Miyamoto Wanted To Patent "Jumping"

Nintendo's website has published another Q&A session between company legends Satoru Iwata and Shigeru Miyamoto. And, like always, there's some interesting stuff being discussed over upturned tea tables.

In this instance, the fact that in the 80's, Miyamoto thought seriously about patenting the idea of a jumping platformer.

Iwata: Donkey Kong involved jumping, as did Mario Bros., so you felt that Nintendo were the real originators of this kind of game.

Miyamoto: I did. I went as far as thinking that jumping is an original idea and that it should be patented! Anyway, I thought: "Right, I'm not going to let those other games top us!" (laughs)

Imagine if he'd tried it. And gotten away with it. And then been able to charge a fee every time somebody wanted to make a character jump in a platformer. You think they're rich now!

http://kotaku.com/5412438/miyamoto-w...patent-jumping